Waiting for You
by Nonsensicalfall
Summary: "I'll be back before you know it." were her exact words and Tarrant Hightop was trying very hard not to know it. Inspired by the heart breaking picture on the blu-ray menu of Alice in wonderland that only appears when returning from the credits
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

There were many ways to get to the room of doors. For there were many doors in that room. One led to the great library, another to snud, one to the outlands and one even led straight to the white queens castle. Tarrant Hightop could have used that door, but he wanted to use a special door. The one that he knew _she _would use. It was quite a trip to that certain door, but to him every minute was worth it. He enjoyed riding through the Tulgey woods, seeing the familiar sights, hearing the familiar sounds, and smelling those memorable scents. He would have preferred to travel by hat but sadly there wasn't a soul big enough to wear a hat nearly the size it would need to be for him to travel comfortably. His horse was a valiant steed though, and he did enjoyed their conversation as they traveled.

He came this way everyday and yet there was always something new he discovered. Whether it be a new flower, a color he suddenly discovered, or the way the dirt visible the more he took this trail. Everything inspired him on the way to the door of rooms. _Speaking of which _he thought brightly. He could see the small door atop the stairs waiting for him. He urged his mount to go faster. He giggled madly as it drew nearer. He knew today would be the day. _It has to be_ he thought _She said she would be back before I knew it. _And the hatter was getting very close to knowing it. His steed stopped, and he slide of its back. Tarrant bounded over to the stairs and took them two at a time. He was moving so fast he very nearly tripped over the small door and fell into the flowers on the other side. They would have been so very angry to being squished after blooming so very beautiful this year.

Tarrant took a moment to compose himself. He didn't want to look flustered when he greeted _Her. _He took a few deep breaths, straightened his hat, fluffed his bow tie and smoothed his coat. He wanted to look his best, especially because it was almost Brilig and the tea would be waiting for them when they got back. Smiling he kneeled down in front of the door. It was far to small for him, even his hat wouldn't be able to squeeze through, and he certainly couldn't shrink down to size. No, no that wouldn't do at all to have _her _see him so small. He ran his fingers along the frame of the door, tickling it to make it grown. Just because it was small at the moment didn't mean it always had to be small.

The door shuttered and grew to the right proper size for a hatter to pass through. Standing the hatter had to take even more deep breaths to calm himself. He was so very nervous. It had been such a long time since he had seen _her. _He wasn't rightly sure how long it had been but he had decided anytime away from _her_ was too long indeed. She should have stayed long enough to at least learn how to use a mirror properly. An audible connection had to be made from the upland first before it would connect again, so none of them had been able to instruct _her _on how to do it and they didn't know where exactly she was so they couldn't possibly send McTwisp to inform her on the many other uses of a looking glass, but that was all besides the point. All that mattered was that this was the door and Tarrant was sure he would find _her _on the other side.

Grasping the door handle tightly, twisting and opening it in one fluid motion. He had the brightest smile he could muster on his face. He wanted _her_ to know that he was happy _she _was back.

"Alice it is so absolutely wonderful to see…" the rest of the sentence died in his throat as he gazed upon a decidedly empty room. The world came crashing down around him as it did everyday he came here. His bowtie wilted and his eyes shifted to the most sorrowful shade of green. He fell to his knees and stared into the empty room, tears filling up the rims of his eyes. " She promised…" He sobbed quietly. Tarrant went through this everyday simply because every morning was the start of a new day with it new hopes and wonders and the old hurts and pains were forgotten in the excitement. The fact was though that every time he came to this empty room a new pain was born and the old ones came with it. He clutched at his heart that felt as if something was trying to burst out of it. The hatter curled up on the checkered floor and cried his broken heart out. He didn't care who or what heard him. The pain was almost to much for him to bare and he felt that if he cried loud enough someone would come to take it away.

No one ever came. They just didn't know what to do to fix a hatters shattered heart. Mallymkun had always supposed that if one could get at the heart that a few stitches could easily fix it. Mirana would look sadly at the small door mouse. She knew what the Hatter needed and it wasn't a few stitches.

Tarrant cried until his tears dried up and then he cried more. He sobbed to try to purge this horrible feeling from his body. He tried to forget the pain, tried to forget _her. _No he could never forget her. Why would he want too? The way her hair reflected in the sunlight, the way her eyes lit up when she laughed, the soft curve of her lips and their lovely pink hue. His faced contorted in pain. These wonderful memories brought so much pain. Why couldn't he just bottle up the memories and the pain separately to sort through at a later more convenient date.

" Hello sweet hat." a intelligent smooth voice remarked. _This was certainly a new development._ - The hatter remarked in a small remote part of his mind.

"Gow awae Chessur." Tarrant managed to croak out, his outlandish slur creeping in. Although it was nice to know that someone had come he wanted to be alone just at the moment. Chessur patted the top of Tarrant's head sadly, smoothing out some of the tangles from his wild orange hair. The hatter responded by curling into a tighter ball.

" I am truly sorrow to be bothering you at this time…" the cat began.

" Then laeve mae bea…" He interrupted.

"But the Queen needs to see you." Chess finished. His normally happy smile was sad as he gazed at his friend who's pain he didn't know how to cure. Even with his many talents healing a broken heart was not one of them. " She says it's urgent."

Tarrant squeezed his eyes closed tight. He couldn't go see the queen like this. What would she think of him? His scarred hands clutched at his heart. The pain was so intense, why wouldn't it go away? It normally left after a few hours and all that would remain was a dull ach. Tarrant sighed. He was going to have to bear through it, his queen needed him.

" Aight, I'ell take mae horse." The hatter said rolling on to his hands and knees. " Eh'll give mae tium to compose maeself."

" I think that would be best." Chessur said nodding in agreement.

The hatter stood up slowly, even if he was mad he still knew that standing up to fast, after spending that much time on the floor, could lead to a head ach, spinning of the room, and a possibility of losing conscious. None of which he wanted to experience. Alas he must have stood up faster than he thought for the room gave a terrible lurch and he hand to brace himself against the wall.

" Tarrant?" The Chesshire cat questioned concerned.

The hatter took a deep breath and put on a terribly forced smile. " I'm fine" he whispered. But he most certainly was not fine, for when he bent down to pick up his hat he fell to his knees.

" Tarrant are you quite sure your fine? You're looking awfully pale." Chess said appearing in front of the hatter looking very concerned.

Said hatter let out a small laugh. " Chess, I'm always pale."

" Yes, but you're looking much paler than is normal for you." The cat replied.

" Quite sure." He said standing up and doing a little turn to prove his point. " See I'm absolutely fine. I stood up to fast is all." With his hat squarely on his hat he started to make his way down the stairs. Half way down though his heart gave a very painfully stab and his world started to spin. He closed his eyes and tried to steady himself, but to no avail. " I think I was mistaken." He wheezed as his legs gave out, and he started to tumble down the stairs.

The Chesshire cat saw Tarrant start to fall and immediately evaporated in front of him to try to cushion his fall as best he could. It was very difficult but Chess managed to get them both to the ground safely and with out any squishing going on. Chess surveyed his friends condition. He was unquestionably unconscious, his face held absolutely no color at all, and his breathing was very shallow. The cat placed a paw on the hatters nose to check his temperature. It was very warm. Much, much to warm for a hatter. He quickly climbed onto Tarrant's chest and gripped his coat with his claws. Closing his large eyes he concentrated very hard. Evaporating himself was one thing but to also have to evaporate another being with much more mass than that of himself was much harder. He managed to get them in to the room of doors but that was as far as he could get them. Chess looked at the door that led to the queens castle. " A fine day to leave my keys at home." He muttered wearily.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors note: Thank you all for all of the wonderful reviews! I'm sorry for the long wait, but my schedule has been pretty hectic. Also I forgot to make a disclaimer on the first chapter so I will do that now. I do not own Alice in Wonderland or any of the characters for if I did Alice would have never left the Hatter.

Enjoy!

Tarrant Hightop woke up distinctly different from the way he normally awakened. Ordinarily when the hatter woke up one minute he was a sleep and the next he was awake and ready to do all the wonderful and interesting things that the day had planned for him. Today was very different to be sure. The hatter first noticed he was awake, because instead of the sweet sound of silence from dreamland he could hear the sounds of the castle in the morning. It was very odd, because his eyes were most certainly closed and he was still so very tired. In the spirit of doing something new he rolled onto his side and tried to go back to sleep. Although he wasn't certain he had actually gone to sleep. He couldn't remember if he had, and if he had wouldn't he be back at the door of rooms and not in his very warm and comfortable bed.

Tarrant's eyes shot open and stared at the ceiling. Yes, he most certainly was back in his room at the queens castle. How he had gotten to be there he wasn't quite sure. He scrunched up his face trying to remember. He had been in the room of doors miserable, Chess showed up with a message, he was heading back to his horse and then, nothing. After that it was all blank. The obvious conclusion was that he must have lost consciousness. Which was understandable considering how much pain he had been in, correction, was still in. His chest had given a very painfully throb, throwing him out of his contemplations and back to the real world. He took in a sharp breath and moved a hand to rub the spot where it hurt. If this kept up something was going to have to be removed he decided.

The hatter turned to look at the door as he heard voices outside it and the knob turn as the voices tried to enter. -_Who could that be- _he wondered -_ trying to enter my rooms so early in the morning without even knocking?-_ He didn't have to wait long to find out. The door was open and he was greeted by the sight of the white queen and the Cheshire cat.

"…But that isn't the only problem." Chessur finished quietly. " Ah look who has finally decided to return to us from dreamland."

The white queens grave expression turns to a joyful one.

"Tarrant you've finally woken up. You don't know how relieved I am." Mirana said as she glided to his bedside.

" I am quite sorry I am not properly dressed to receive you but as you can see I have just woken up." He replied sitting up. The hatters face took on a confused appearance. " May I ask why exactly you are relieved that I am awake? How long have I been asleep?"

"Three and a half days." The floating cat replied. " We were starting to think that you would never wake up."

"Three and a half days…" Tarrant repeated quietly. So it wasn't quite as early as he thought, he decided actually looking out his window. Three and a half days was an awful long time to be asleep. He could rightly understand their concern. " That is exceedingly odd that I slept for so long. Have you any idea why that might be?" He asked the queen.

Mirana and Chessur exchanged looks. " We think It has something to do with the pain you are experiencing in your chest." She said gently.

Tarrant suddenly realized that he had been rubbing the area above his heart. "Yes I was wondering about that. I'm afraid something is going to have to be removed. It hurts quite a lot."

" Well It's not…that is to say we cannot remove what is it that is ailing you because that would cause death." The queen replied.

" It's your heart that is hurting you Tarrant." Chess added settling on the hatters feet. "It's breaking."

The milliner thought for a moment. "Yes that's what it feels like." Tarrant looked hopefully at the white queen. " But certainly there is something you can do."

Mirana gazed sadly at her royal hatter. " I'm afraid not my friend. The only one that can is…currently unavailable."

"And who might that…Ah!" he remembered. The pain in his chest increased causing him to double over in pain. The only one who could help heal him was the one that was indirectly hurting him. "Shea saed shea wud be back b'for Ai knew it." He managed to gasp out his accent showing up once more. " Shea'el be back soon."

"I'm afraid we can not wait for her to return to us." Chess said lazily. " There have been some disturbances in the outlands."

" Disturbances?" The hatter questioned a bit muffled. His head was currently resting on his knees causing the blankets covering him to cover his mouth. His left hand clutched at his chest and his right at the quilt.

" Tarrant let us discuss this later when your feeling better." Mirana remarked, concern for the hatter radiating from her voice.

He turned his head a little to look at her. " Ai donnae think I'll be feelin' better anaetium soon."

" Which is why I brought this." She said holding a small vial out for him. " It's a sleeping draft. I know you just woke up but a little more sleep in this case wouldn't be a bad idea."

Tarrant looked at her for a moment before nodding and taking the vial from her. He popped the top opened and downed the sweet scented draft. He wondered briefly how long it would take to work, before he felt a strong tug at his consciousness. He barely had time to lay his head back down before sleep over took him.

Mirana took the vial from her friends hand and pulled the brightly colored tatter quilts up over the hatters shoulders. " Come Chess we have much to discuss." she said quietly as she headed for the door.

The White queen and the Cheshire cat walked through the halls of the castle in silence until they reached her study. Memoreal had since become too quiet as of late. Mirana had tried to keep the recent news of the disturbances in the outlands quite but news travels so fast in Underland. They were all worried and rightly so. This news event was nothing to be trifled with.

" Why did you not tell him?" Chessur asked his customary smile currently absent.

" I don't want to upset him in this state." She replied taking a seat behind her desk. " His heart is very fragile and putting too much stress on it might kill him sooner!"

" Yes but the oraculum…" The cat insisted.

" I know what it shows." She snapped. She immediately shot Chess an apologetic glance. " I'm sorry Chessur. It's just this whole situation is very taxing. I know what it shows and I know what it means. We need Alice. We can't wait for her to return on her own."

"It'll take weeks for Nivens to find her again." The Cheshire cat replied annoyed. "It's been four years since she was last here, and Absolum has lost track of her. Last he said she was somewhere in India. Wherever that is, it certainly isn't England."

" He said that almost two years ago." Mirana answered. " I'm sure that she should be where she's suppose to be…wherever that is."

" She should be here and yet she is not." He said firmly. " We do not have time for Nivens to take weeks to find her again."

Mirana smiled and it made Chess nervous. It had a hint of mischievousness that most certainly shouldn't have been there.

"Which is why we I said we have much to discuss." She replied. She withdrew a small key from around her neck and used it to unlock a draw in her desk. It held only one thing which she withdrew and spread out on her desk. " I consulted the Oraculum just this morning, and it showed a very interesting development. Take a look."

Chess floated over and gazed down and the sage paper. " Oh dear." He said as he looked at the scene that was displayed before him. The cat had the pleasure of looking down upon a picture that depicted him ascending the rabbit hole in which he could only assume was a quest to find Alice. " Me? You want to send me to find her?" He questioned stunned.

"The Oraculum has foretold it." She replied her smile stretching from ear to ear. Chessur rolled his eyes. There was no way he was getting out of this, if it was foretold it would happen. He glanced back down at the paper.

" It seems I am to leave today as well. That doesn't seem to give me much time to prepare for the uplands." he rolled so he was floating on his back. " What is that thing around my neck?"

" Ah! That would be this." she said holding up a small ornate mirror attached to a strap of leather, it's mate lying on the desk. " It will help you keep in touch with me while you're in the Uplands."

He floated close to Mirana's hands so she could fasten it around his neck. " And how am I suppose to find her?" he asked floating away.

Mirana replaced the Oraculum back in the drawer and relocked it before she stood and wander over to the suit of armor that Alice had worn on the Frabjous day. She examined it for a moment before making a small triumphant " ah!" and gliding over to The Cheshire cat. " With this!" she said holding up a single blonde hair.

"That?" He said annoyed. "I am not a blood hound Mirana! My sense of smell isn't that good!"

"Nor does it have to be!" she said happily. " With this hair I can make a locating potion. Once you get to the Uplands you'll take it and you'll be inexplicably drawn to Alice. Which makes you're evaporating skills very usefully in this instant." Taking in Chess's expression she quickly added. " Not that they aren't always useful!"

"Fine. How long do I have to prepare?" he inquired.

Mirana glanced at the grandfather clock that took up the left corner of her office. " Two-three hours at the most." She glided over to the door, intending to head straight to the kitchen and her alchemy lab. Opening the door she paused and turned to look back at the cat. " I would spend most if not all of it talking to Nivens. He knows quite a lot about the uplands." She smiled and left, walking with great haste.

Chess glared at Alice's champion armor. " Why did you leave in the first place?" He wondered aloud before departing to go find a certain white rabbit.

" …And animals don't talk so I wouldn't even try to ask them for directions." The white rabbit continued in his warnings about the Uplands. Chess sighed, he had been hear for two hours listening to tales about how horrid the Uplands were, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could take. Chessur avoid Nivens on most occasions. The twitchy rabbit could, without provocation, launch into a very lengthy tale about one of his hair raising adventures, even if it just concluded in him going to the kitchen. The cat was sure he had fallen asleep a few times during this explanation. He knew he needed to listen to this, some of it could be vitally important, but the rabbit was just such a dull story teller it made it hard for him to want to listen.

" Last but certainly not lest DO NOT talk to the Uplanders. As I just stated animals do not talk, and they are there for un accustomed to us speaking." Nivens said very seriously. " I remember the time I tried to and let me tell you…"

" Thank you McTwisp. I think I have enough information on the Uplands to make it through this one and only journey up there." Chess interrupted before the rabbit could go on.

" Yes well do be careful. The Uplands are not like Underland." The white rabbit replied a little put off.

"I'll keep that in mind." The Cheshire cat smiled as he evaporated away. Chess appeared in a hallway far away from the talkative rabbit. He felt the need to drift aimlessly for a while so that what he did. He closed his eyes and let fate take him to where he needed to go. That place turned out to be the kitchens. He could hear Thackery's chaos of cooking, burbling soups, clanging pots, how the Queen could stand to have her alchemy lab in something so noise the cat would never know.

Floating carefully through the door Chess could see The Hare hard at work chopping vegetables for one of his many interesting concoction, and the White Queen talking to the door mouse. The cat assumed that if the Queen had time to chat her potion must be ready.

"Is the potion done brewing yet my Queen?" he asked settling down on the counter.

" Yes quite done." She replied. " I was just about to have Mally go and find you."

"No ye wer…" The queen gave Mallymkun a look and the mouse trailed off.

" Mally would you go and check on Tarrant?" Mirana asked, wanting to get the mouse away before she got her in trouble.

The mouse nodded and jumped down onto the floor and ran to the door. She squeaked and dodged a ladle that Thackery threw at her.

"Thackery tha' could 'ave killed me!" She shouted angrily at her friend. The mad hare merely laughed and continued his reckless chopping.

Mallymkun threw the Queen a sour look. "Honestly Ay don't know why ye let 'im cook." She said before quickly making her way out.

"Yes why do you let him cook?" The cat asked in genuine wonder.

" I like his soups." She replied amused. Taking out a small bottle she filled it with the liquid that was simmering in a small pot to her right. " Now take this and off to the rabbit hole you go. Make sure to drink it right away when you get to the surface. I'm not entirely sure how long it will keep."

" That's it? No ceremony, no farewell party?" he asked a touch gloomy.

"We want to keep this quite from the outlands." she answered very seriously. "If _they_ knew it could cause problems for your return."

The cat sighed. He did love a good party, but " I suppose you're right. If that's all then I guess I'll be on my way."

She nodded. " Be sure to contact me if there are any complications. Fairfarren Chessur." She said giving the cat an affectionate scratch behind the ears.

"Fairfarren Mirana." He replied evaporating.


End file.
